Cycling Sunglasses

The Shades Make The Man - How Pro Cyclists Use Eyewear To Set Themselves Apart

Road racing in the French high mountains for three weeks is fraught with risk. In the early days of the sport, when a parcours would cross gravel roads in atrocious conditions, riders like Andre Leducq, French cyclist and two-time Tour de France winner, dealt with dirt, car exhaust and the elements in the 21-stage lead into the Champs D’Elysee. Eyewear hadn’t yet been made a significant part of a rider’s kit. Leducq and other pros, who were mostly farmers, not “professionals” as they are defined today, often wore leather driving glasses, the kind more commonly seen in early auto racing and aviation.

Sunglass styles have since evolved significantly. From the 1950’s through to the present day, the pain and suffering that can only been seen in the eyes has been masterfully and stylishly covered by cyclists in innumerable ways. The “heritage” aesthetic defined many of cycling’s greats; today, it has been eschewed for aerodynamics, featherweight materials and sport design.

As former pro David Millar commented recently in the Telegraph, “sunglasses are,” in a world of matching lycra kit, “one of the few things that give you an identity as a rider.” Cannondale Garmin Pro Cycling Team’s Ryder Hesjedal proved that in 2013 with his POC DID frames (the style was so unique it sold out in 14 minutes after he debuted them in that year’s Tour). Here in AskMen’s continuing look at cycling and style, we consider the shades that make the men in the peloton and, just as importantly, their permanence in what it means to look pro. Glory DaysIn the 1920’s and 30’s — the days of clips and straps, no helmets or gears (derailleurs joined the Tour in 1937) — water bottles were metal and rattled around on the handlebars. That probably impacted your steering a little, but who cared. Tires were sewn up and spares worn around the rider’s back. It was a “hardman” aesthetic still admired and borrowed from by many today, even when it came to shades.

Gritty times produced tough riders who out of sheer necessity cultivated a style that was entirely accidental. Without question, it defined their era. Giuseppe Ratti, founder of Persol, nurtured that style when he started making “performance” eyewear for NASA pilots, and then when Italian Fausto Coppi — still one of cycling’s most well-kempt and influential personalities — started wearing them. It marked a permanent shift in cycling style. Finally, there was an accessory that matched riders’ painstaking efforts to look put together, be it while turning the pedals or afterward while enjoying an espresso.

“Aviators,” in the years to follow, made their mark after Belgian Eddy Merckx chose their timeless design for racing (the “wayfarer” is, today, imitated by an unlimited number of brands, though rarely worn by pros). Innovations from a then-fledgling California start-up named after the owner’s dog, Oakley, and desperate hopes for market share from the likes of Brikko, Rudy Project and Carrera, all soon followed. Oakley put particular emphasis on form as well as function, earning a reputation for space-age designs. Their influence to this day on performance eyewear is undeniable (see their new Jawbreakers — dominant in this year’s Tour). By the late 1990’s, the link between performance sunglasses and cycling’s beauty had solidified. Modern romanceThe contemporary peloton is no stranger to conspicuous eyewear styles and riders who accessorize sunglasses expertly. Often times intentionally ostentatious, brands literally attempt to be at the forefront of the rider’s exploits. A number of today’s pros have foregone the sunglass styles of Coppi and Merckx altogether in favor of on-the-bike performance. Coincidentally, this has rekindled interest in styles that marked the careers of guys like Hugo Koblet, le pedaleur de charmes, and Jan Janssen.